Accounting firm communications: Forget the two-way street

First, a quick complaint: Every year in December, we reach out to accounting firms all across the country to participate in our Top 100 Firms and Regional Leaders survey. This means researching potential firms to consider, and that means looking at scores and scores of firms’ websites, to determine if they might be big enough, and to gather contact email addresses for those that are.

And every year, I am shocked and appalled by the number of firms that don’t have websites, and the number of firms that do have websites but don’t include email addresses on them. They often have phone numbers, and many also often have little forms you can fill out, begging them to get back to you — but what I want is an email address (but not one of those “info@firmname.com” emails — we all know how often those are checked), and when I can’t find one, I get super frustrated.

Now I know what you’re thinking: Who is this clown to demand our email addresses? And honestly, as I write this, I can’t really argue with that, because your firm has no obligations to me — but what if I were a potential client? I guarantee you there are prospects out there right now looking for the same email addresses — and if they can’t get them, they’ll go with a different firm. And if you don’t have a website, they’re definitely going somewhere else.

Worse yet, what if I were a young accountant looking for a job? If I can’t reach you the way I want to — on social media, say, or by smoke signals — then I’m going with the firm that lets me communicate that way.

And the same goes for clients: They’ll have preferred methods of communication, and you need to find out what those are and be ready to meet them there. If they prefer to text, don’t call them. If they prefer face to face, don’t email them. If they’re into carrier pigeons, stock up on bird feed.

The notion that communication is a two-way street is out of date — communication is a massive complex of surface streets, highways, railway lines, subways, canals, sea lanes and flight paths, and what’s more, the obligation isn’t on others to meet you halfway. If you want to be in touch with clients and prospects and job candidates, you need to meet them where they are, in the style they prefer.

The flipside of that, of course, is that people like me, or your software vendors and suppliers and service providers, have to communicate with you in the style that you prefer, so don’t be surprised when I call your firm on the telephone — to ask for your email address.